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Residents Against the Mast (RAM) update

Richard | 22.05.2001 12:44

Residents Against the Mast (RAM) was formed in August 2000 because residents were concerned about the lack of public consultation on the siting of the mast in Ladywell, south east London, and because their views were being ignored.

Residents Against the Mast (RAM) was formed in August 2000 because residents were concerned about the lack of public consultation on the siting of the mast in Ladywell, south east London, and because their views were being ignored.

In December 2000, RAM became a member of a nation-wide group called MAUK (Mast Action UK). Over 100 organizations have affiliated with MAUK which is campaigning for a national policy on the sensible siting of mobile phone masts. Mauk is not against mobile phone technology - just the unnecessary and insensitive placing of masts too close to family homes, schools and hospitals. Ram agrees!

The RAM meeting on May02 went extremely well. We had a turn out of about 70 residents and with everyone's idea's, skill and determination we shall be successful.

The meeting lasted for approximately 2 hours in which time there was a brief talk about how things had started onto some biological effects and then a 12 minute video made by another campaigning group called GOWER. This contained some disturbing material from a resident who lives near to a mast whose child suffers with epilepsy and started to have lots if fits each day whereas it had been under control previously. One particular day she had none at all and they later discovered that the mast aerials had been switched off all day due to a problem. Once reinstated the fits continued as normal. This is just one highlight from the video.

We finished with ideas as to where we go now and what can be done.

DID YOU KNOW? . . . during the Cold War, the Soviet Union discovered that human behaviour could be changed when people were exposed to extremely low frequency waves (ELF). In 1982 a US Navy report confirmed these signals were psychoactive and could cause depression at 6.66Hz. At 11Hz they could lead to manic behaviour in humans. Telecommunications aerials work between the two - on a frequency off around 8.34Hz.

Has the Government conducted research into the safety of mobile phone transmitters?

No, although it has made a start. It set up an 'Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones' (IEGMP) to examine the possible effects of mobile phones, base stations and transmitters on health. The group published its first report in April 2000. The foreword of the report chaired by Sir William Stewart says that more work needs to be done:

"There is evidence that in some cases people's well-being may be adversely affected by the insensitive siting of base stations. New mechanisms need to be set in place to prevent that happening . Overall, the report proposes that a precautionary approach be adopted until more robust scientific information becomes available and that the subject be reveiwed again in three years time, or before if circumstances demand it."

So far these recommendations have been ignored!

more information on the web

www.tassie.net
www.iegmp.org.uk

 http://infoventures.com



 http://niehs.nih.gov
emfguru.com

Richard
- e-mail: richard@riseup.net